Texas

Chronology of Coverage

Jul. 31, 2015

Texas lawmakers begin inquiry into confrontational behavior of white Texas state trooper Brian T Encinia in arrest of black woman Sandra Bland, who committed suicide after being taken into custody for traffic stop. MORE

Jul. 28, 2015

Family of Sandra Bland, black woman found dead in Texas jail cell three days after she was arrested during traffic stop, does not believe that she committed suicide, calling for Justice Dept to open investigation into her death. MORE

Jul. 27, 2015

Atty Gen Loretta E Lynch remarks on arrest and death in Texas of Sandra Bland, saying incident has drawn attention to distrustful relationship that black and minority communities have with law enforcement. MORE

Jul. 27, 2015

Charles M Blow Op-Ed column asserts funeral of Sandra Bland, black woman who died in Texas jail, ostensibly by suicide, presents mixture of celebration and defiance that reflects Bland herself; holds Bland's character was expressed by her refusal to demur to white, male officer during routine traffic stop, attitude for which she has been criticized; supports Bland's family and friends in their fight for justice, and says American public wants, and needs, to know what happened to Bland at hands of police. MORE

Jul. 23, 2015

Waller County, Tex, Sheriff R Glenn Smith says that Sandra Bland, who was found dead in jail cell, told county jail officials that she tried to kill herself in 2014, statement that Bland's family disputes; despite statement, jailers had not put Bland on suicide watch; disagreement comes day after Texas authorities released dashboard camera video of Bland's arrest by State Trooper Brian T Encinia, who has since been placed on administrative duty. MORE

Jul. 22, 2015

Texas lawmakers condemn behavior of Brian T Encinia, state trooper who arrested Sandra Bland after routine traffic stop, upon release of dashboard camera video documenting encounter; Bland was found dead of apparent suicide three days later in her jail cell; video depicts heated confrontation, contradicting Encinia's description; Bland's family has questioned ruling of death as suicide. MORE

Jul. 21, 2015

Texas authorities release video and describe timeline of events within jail cell of Sandra Bland, black woman found dead three days after she was arrested during traffic stop. MORE

Jul. 17, 2015

Mimi Swartz Op-Ed article explores historical roots of paranoia in Texas surrounding military exercise known as Jade Helm 15; notes that most Texans have matured and no longer view federal government with the level of distrust some in state continue to cling to. MORE

Jul. 2, 2015

Appeals court in New Orleans tells judges in Louisiana, Texas and Mississippi to wrap up pending cases over same-sex marriage in accordance with Supreme Court ruling in favor of gay marriage. MORE

Jun. 30, 2015

Supreme Court votes, 5 to 4, to allow 10 abortion clinics in Texas to remain open while justices consider whether to hear appeal from decision effectively ordering them to close; is second time Supreme Court has given clinics a reprieve, allowing more than a dozen of them to reopen in fall of 2015. MORE

Jun. 26, 2015

Supreme Court decides 5-4 in favor of broad interpretation of the Fair Housing Act of 1968, ruling that plaintiffs need not prove intentional discrimination, but only that given practice produces 'disparate impact'; suit was brought by Texas group supporting integrated housing, and ruling favors civil rights groups who said broad legal theory was crucial in fight against housing discrimination. MORE

Jun. 26, 2015

Editorial praises Supreme Court's ruling in case Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs v Inclusive Communities Project for interpreting Fair Housing Act of 1968 in way that affirms housing discrimination does not have to be intentional to be illegal; contends court's endorsement of broad interpretation of law is crucial to law's future success, as it has been in past. MORE

Jun. 20, 2015

Jun. 19, 2015

Supreme Court, voting 5 to 4, upholds Texas' right to refuse to allow specialty license plates bearing the Confederate flag; majority interpreted plates as part of government speech, rendering them immune from First Amendment attacks. MORE

Jun. 19, 2015

Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller announces end to decade-old ban on deep fried foods in public schools; move is considered unwelcome reversal by health advocates and school nutritionists. MORE

Jun. 11, 2015

Appeals court decision upholding restrictions on abortions in Texas is prompting abortion rights advocates to demand that Supreme Court issue clarification on when abortion laws place 'undue burden' on woman's right to procedure. MORE

Jun. 11, 2015

Editorial decries federal appeals court decision upholding 2013 Texas law that limits abortion access for hundreds of thousands of women; reserves particular scorn for Texas Atty Gen Ken Paxton and others who cynically defend such measures in the name of women's health; cites evidence that abortions are among safest of medical procedures. MORE

Jun. 11, 2015

Gail Collins Op-Ed column examines string of disheartening setbacks for woman's right to choose, including federal appeals court decision upholding Texas law that has decimated abortion clinics; observes such laws target poor women who cannot afford to travel for an abortion; cites tragedies that have occurred across country when women take matter into their own hands. MORE

Jun. 10, 2015

Panel of United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, New Orleans, upholds some of most stringent provisions of Texas abortion law, placing half of state's remaining abortion clinics at risk of permanently closing; less than dozen clinics would remain open in state; lawmakers say provisions are meant to improve safety; abortion providers and women's rights groups vow appeal to Supreme Court. MORE

Jun. 5, 2015

Former Texas Gov Rick Perry announces his candidacy for 2016 Republican presidential contest, becoming latest candidate to enter crowded field that already boasts several large names with strong ties to Texas; Perry exudes sense of confidence and says he has learned lessons of his disastrous 2012 presidential bid. MORE

Jun. 5, 2015

Paul Krugman Op-Ed column points out that Texas, state that held itself up as economic miracle, is in midst of an economic stumble, providing yet another demonstration that tax cuts for wealthy will not lead to economic prosperity; notes Texas's troubles stem from decline in oil prices; expresses hope that example of Texas, and of Kansas alongside, will one day lead Republicans to abandon idea of tax cuts as cure-all. MORE

Jun. 4, 2015

Lester Bowler Jr is executed for 1983 fatal shootings of four men at airplane hangar near Sherman, Tex. MORE

Jun. 4, 2015

Unemployment rate in Texas is well below national average of 5.4 percent, but oil industry is losing jobs as falling oil prices cause shut downs in drilling and production; supporters of former Gov Rick Perry say policies during his tenure were vital to job growth, but many economists say differences in state policies have only limited role in encouraging economic prosperity. MORE

Jun. 3, 2015

So-called campus-carry bill passed by Republican-dominated Texas Legislature, which will allow students and staff at public and private universities in state to possess concealed handguns on campus, is expected to be signed into law by Gov Greg Abbott; law, which proponents say will make campuses safer, will go into effect in August 2016 at universities and year later at community colleges; critics say law will create climate of fear on campus. MORE

May. 29, 2015

Community of Wimberley, Tex, has banded together to salvage what they can following two days of flooding that damaged or destroyed hundreds of homes and left several people missing; struggle reflects destruction across region amid record rainfall, floods and tornadoes. MORE

May. 28, 2015

Residents of Texas areas affected by severe flooding form volunteer units to look for missing persons, bringing sense of community to region hard hit by disaster. MORE

May. 28, 2015

Scientists warn that Texas can expect more extreme weather, like flooding and drought, as climate change exacerbates state's already severe weather patterns. MORE

May. 27, 2015

Flooding paralyzes parts of Houston and officials say at least four people have died in city, adding to total death toll of 14 in Texas and Oklahoma due to tornadoes and flooding; some neighborhoods in city are less affected by floodwaters, leading to kind of Texas equivalent to snow day. MORE

May. 26, 2015

At least five people are killed and 12 are missing as storms bring massive flooding to Oklahoma and Texas. MORE

May. 23, 2015

Texas Gov Greg Abbott says his state plans to comply with national standards for preventing prison rape; Justice Dept, however, says Texas has failed to follow federal procedures under Prison Rape Elimination Act and will likely be financially penalized for second straight year. MORE

May. 13, 2015

Urgency behind Prison Rape Elimination Act of 2003 has waned, even though reported sexual victimization in prisons remains high; advocates for inmates and half of members of bipartisan group National Prison Rape Elimination Commission say slow rate of change is discouraging despite some progress; Texas, with biggest prison population in country, has lagged in compliance to law. MORE

May. 12, 2015

Three people remain missing after tornado hits Van, Tex, killing two people and injuring nearly 50 others; tornado is considered small scale in comparison to other disasters in state, but small size of town means destruction cuts even more deeply than it would in larger, more urban area. MORE

May. 10, 2015

Series of tornadoes move through Texas, leaving one person dead, several unaccounted for and destruction in their wake. MORE

May. 9, 2015

Gail Collins Op-Ed column submits that Utah, while heavily Republican and pro-gun, is far less concerned than Texas about military exercise known as Jade Helm 15 scheduled to be carried out in Southwest; notes Texas leaders and residents claim exercise is cover for government plot to take over area and confiscate residents' guns; says small percentage of both American public and leadership have always been crazy, but in contemporary political climate Texas' saner conservatives are loath to disagree with them. MORE

May. 7, 2015

Texas Gov Greg Abbott's decision to monitor military exercise called Jade Helm 15, which right-wing commentators have warned may be front for hostile takeover of state by Obama administration, has many pointing to radicalization of state's Republican base. MORE

May. 7, 2015

Jim Wright, former Texas Rep who was forced out of office as speaker of the House during 1989 ethics investigation, dies at age 92. MORE

May. 2, 2015

Juliet Macur Sports of The Times column lauds efforts by Bill Miller, father who leads initiative to educate Texas students and student-athletes on violence against women through video presentation. MORE

Apr. 18, 2015

Texas House passes bill effectively prohibiting cities and counties from denying access to natural gas underground, in major blow to local governments hoping to ban hydraulic fracturing. MORE

Apr. 13, 2015

Prolonged drought has diminished Rio Grande to relative trickle in western Texas, highlighting environmental plight throughout West; scientists warn that drought, along with climbing temperatures and resultant evaporation, may be harbinger of what global warming could permanently introduce in region; river's fate has led to battles between farmers, environmentalists and state governments over water rights (Series: The Parched West). MORE

Apr. 11, 2015

Texas Medical Board, which licenses and regulates physicians in state, votes to sharply restrict use of telemedicine; is latest move in four-year battle with Dallas-based Teladoc, which provides telephone or video consultations with staff doctors for routine medical problems; while many states are supporting such services in effort to increase access to medical care under Affordable Care Act, Texas has moved in opposite direction. MORE

Apr. 3, 2015

Sen Ted Cruz opens presidential campaign headquarters in Texas, where he enjoys significant popularity; it remains unclear whether he can carry state's voters in primary that is likely to be crowded with rivals who share Texas's Lone Star sensibility, including former Gov Rick Perry, Jeb Bush and Kentucky Sen Rand Paul. MORE

Apr. 1, 2015

Texas is home to thriving illegal gambling industry, with 30,000 to 150,000 illegal slot machines making estimated $1.9 billion annually; gambling parlors survive via cover businesses, payouts to authorities and by making use of legal gray area that allows gambling for non-cash prizes, making it difficult to determine which parlors are illegal. MORE

Mar. 31, 2015

Mimi Swartz Op-Ed article recounts her initial discomfort with prospect of Sen Ted Cruz's presidential campaign, noting how run for higher office by a Texan has so often been accompanied by wackiness; holds those looking for a traditional Texas politician, however, should look elsewhere because Cruz, who identifies as an outsider and individualist, is profoundly different, and a lot less fun. MORE

Mar. 24, 2015

Mar. 23, 2015

Supreme Court will hear case Walker v Sons of Confederate Veterans, challenge to Texas decision to refuse to allow license plates that feature Confederate flag; case will consider limits of free expression and the meaning of the flag, which many associate with secession and slavery. MORE

Mar. 13, 2015

Op-Ed article by author Richard Parker warns that drought, population growth and effects of climate change are intensifying tug-of-war over water in southwestern United States; says tension is exemplified by plan to divert water from Trinity Aquifer in Wimberly, Tex, to expanding Austin suburb Buda, and similar schemes throughout region; cautions that natural drought cycles compounded by global warming are significant threat to regional population, and questions whether modern engineering can avert disaster. MORE

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August 1, 2015, Saturday

A “super PAC” supporting Senator Ted Cruz received $10 million from one person — fresh evidence that the Texas Republican is a magnet for big donors and should not be underestimated, despite the polls.

In a withering critique, a federal court judge in California ruled that the U.S. detention of children and their mothers who crossed the border illegally is a serious violation of a longstanding court settlement.

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